HCC Blog: Climate Change

The world’s climate is changing faster than it ever has before.  Climate change is here, regardless of conspiracy, speculation, and division in the world.  It is time to take action and Katharine Hayhoe’s book “Saving us; A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World” calls us to do so.  After reading “Saving us” my perspective on our ability to make a difference in the world was shifted.  I began reading feeling unsure of how one person would be able to make any kind of impactful change. But I also learned that doing something is better than doing nothing and if everyone adopts this attitude we can create change together.  We can start by demanding better from those in power who can change laws that sacrifice the integrity of our environment, ecosystems, and wildlife for financial gain.

The focus of this book isn’t about proving that climate change is real but it’s about how we can make a real impact in slowing and reversing its effects. Science has been talking about the implications of our warming earth for years and it is the only explanation for many drastic changes to the environment. Hayhoe emphasizes the need to talk about these issues instead of having to prove them. Climate change should not be a political issue or seen as a conspiracy but as a pressing global issue. The data is available to us all, so there is no excuse to conspire or doubt that the earth is warming.

There is a correlation between areas that are more likely to be affected by climate change are also more likely to believe climate change will be personally harmful to them. Sometimes we choose to disbelieve things that we don’t experience or that we lack the awareness to acknowledge. The poorest, most vulnerable, and marginalized communities in the world feel the greatest effects of climate change and also tend to believe in its urgency. This is why we need to generate more informed communities.  

I highly recommend you read Hayhoe’s book “Saving Us” and take it as a call to action.  I hope everyone reading feels more educated about climate change and inspired to reduce their own carbon footprint.  Be inspired to talk about uncomfortable topics, help others make a change, take action in your community, and inspire others to be greener consumers.